


setups and holdups

by Iverna



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Gen, Spoilers, ouat spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:38:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8686024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iverna/pseuds/Iverna
Summary: AU inspired by spoilers for next week, in which Regina finds herself on the last mission she ever expected: trying to engineer a meeting between a princess and a pirate.





	

Regina Mills is still silently fuming about her own plan. It’s a good plan. It will work.

But on a purely personal level it’s infuriating to find herself in the position of _matchmaker_ for Captain Guyliner and Little Miss Perfect. It will work, and they’ll all remember—and she will never, ever, live it down.

Emma, to her complete lack of surprise, is not helping. “You know this won’t work,” she says haughtily as she looks out of the small window of the carriage that Regina had commandeered. Outside, the forest is sunlit and bright, and Regina feels a strange pang at the sight of it. She never appreciated it, before. For so long, she only hated it for hiding Snow White from her. Now, the sight and scent of it seems to tug at her heart, whispering of home.

“If my parents really are in danger, I don’t see how a _pirate_ is going to help,” Emma goes on, and Regina almost, almost, laughs at the note of scorn in her voice. She recognises it. It’s a natural by-product of being raised a princess. Emma Swan, the princess, is far from a spoiled brat, but she’s also a far cry from Emma Swan, the woman who drove into Storybrooke one night and turned Regina’s life upside down.

This woman has never broken the law or dallied with criminals. This woman has grown up loved and wanted and utterly sure of who she is.

It makes her even more inconveniently confident than she was in Storybrooke. It also makes it hard to lie to her, which is why Regina has been purposely vague about this plan of hers, the fake one she told Emma in order to get her into this carriage and onto this road.

“Trust me,” she says as carelessly as she can manage. “He’ll help. If he knows what’s good for him.”

“You keep saying that, but—“

There’s a shout outside. The carriage rumbles to a stop. There’s more shouting, the ring of steel, and Emma frowns and sits up straighter. Regina smiles.

Show time.

“Everyone out of the carriage, if you please!” a familiar male voice calls from outside. “Hands where I can see them.”

Regina glances at Emma, who looks ready to burst through the door and attack whoever is on the other side.

“No,” Regina says softly. “Don’t. Just do as he says. _Trust_ me.”

“Is this part of your plan, too?” Emma growls.

“We can work with it,” Regina says evasively. “Follow me. And don’t try to play hero. You’ll regret it.”

Emma clearly doesn’t like it. She hasn’t liked much since Regina half-kidnapped her into this whole scheme. Regina can’t blame her, but without Savior magic, Emma doesn’t really have much choice, and it’s the best plan Regina’s got. They can argue about it later, once they’re back in Storybrooke.

Regina leads the way out of the carriage, where she’s met with the sight of the second-biggest source of irritation in this whole venture. Killian “Hook” Jones, pirate, scoundrel, all-around nuisance, smiling his insolent smile and looking like no time at all has passed since the last time she saw him in the Enchanted Forest, thirty years ago. Still in Pan’s employ, still bent on revenge, still every inch a pirate. He’s surrounded by several of his crew, Smee among them, all of them armed and looking far too pleased with themselves, though none of them more so than Hook.

Regina glowers at him and moves aside to make room for Emma, and despite everything, she finds herself holding her breath.

Emma clambers out, straightens—and the smile on Jones’ face seems to falter. Emma’s eyes widen just a little. For a moment, no one speaks. Regina rolls her eyes inwardly.

Hook opens his mouth to speak, but Emma beats him to it. “Who the _hell_ are you?”

He feigns polite surprise. “I’m the man who just ambushed you and will be relieving you of any valuables you’re carrying.”

Emma’s eyes sweep over him, taking in the unbuttoned shirt, tousled hair, cocky smirk... then lower, to his sword belt, leather pants, and boots. “You’re no highwayman.”

“And you’re no mere noblewoman,” he says, shifting his weight fluidly as he takes two steps towards her. “Your highness.”

Emma raises her chin. “And you are?”

“Killian Jones,” he says with another smirk. “At your service.”

“No, you’re not,” she retorts. Colour is high in her cheeks, but other than that, she shows no sign of the attraction Regina knows she’s feeling. “Men at my service don’t usually try to steal from me.”

“Oh, believe me, there’ll be no _trying_ involved,” Hook assures her. In contrast to Emma, he’s doing nothing to hide his interest, eyes sweeping over her face and figure in pure male appreciation. It’s ridiculous, the way he draws himself up and grins at her like he’s just found the greatest treasure in all the realms.

Idiots, both of them.

Regina watches the exchange from the sidelines, caught between amusement and exasperation at the way they’re sizing each other up, neither willing to give an inch. Of all the unlikely people to fall in love...

“Maybe not,” Emma allows. “But there’ll be failing. I don’t have anything of value with me.”

Hook tilts his head as he takes another step towards her, leading with his hips, all provocation. “You underestimate yourself, princess.”

And then Emma smiles, too, a flirtatious smile that Regina has rarely seen before. She sways towards Hook a little, her face raised to his. “I don’t think _I’m_ the one underestimating me,” she says, her voice soft. “Captain.”

For a moment, they stand like that, almost nose to nose, staring at each other. And now colour is rising in Hook’s cheeks, too, his chest rising and falling a little more quickly.

Regina allows herself the tiniest smile, just a curl of her lips.

“Aye,” Hook breathes at last. “You may be right on that score, love.”

He steps back, then gestures to her throat. “But I’ll be having that, all the same.”

Emma’s hand goes reflexively to the pendant that glitters there, fingers curling around the chain. “No.”

“Emma,” Regina finally speaks up, relieved that they’re getting somewhere. “Give it to him. We need to keep going.”

“Ah,” Hook says, looking at Regina for probably the first time. “A lady with some sense. I’d listen to her.”

“I give you this,” Emma says slowly, “and you let us go?”

He bows. “You have my word.”

It’s just about the sorriest excuse for a highway robbery that Regina has ever witnessed or heard of, but then again, that was never the point. She didn’t hire him because she wanted Emma robbed. She hired him because she needs _this_ , this specific moment that’s unfolding as Emma reaches back to unclasp the necklace.

She holds it out to Hook, and Regina holds her breath again, hoping that he’ll do what she all but _knows_ he’ll do...

And he doesn’t let her down. Instead of letting Emma drop the necklace into his palm, he reaches to take it from her, catching her hand along with it so he can sweep a kiss across her knuckles.

A tiny drop of light, unnoticed by all except Regina, who is looking for it, falls to the ground.

“Thank you, your highness,” Hook says, his voice low and husky.

Emma’s throat works as she swallows, but again, she doesn’t let him keep the upper hand. She smiles again, leaning in almost as if she means to kiss him. “You _will_ pay for this.”

His eyes flick down to her lips, back to her eyes, and now it seems to be his throat that has gone a little dry.

“Gladly,” he says, and it almost comes out as cocky as ever. Almost. “I’m in port often. Come see me anytime, princess.”

Emma’s smile doesn’t falter, but there’s an edge to it now, almost predatory. “I might.”

It’s a threat more than a promise, but Hook doesn’t seem to care. “Good.”

Neither of them seems to be sure who came out on top as Emma climbs imperiously back into the carriage and Hook calls for his crew to get back on their horses. They thunder off ahead of the carriage, quickly lost to view. Emma has taken her seat in the carriage again, her left hand curled around her right, the one Hook just kissed.

“Well,” she says a little acidly, apparently collecting herself. “That was fun. I hope it was worth it.”

Regina pauses before joining her in the carriage and looks down. There, on the ground, is a tiny, fresh, green sapling.

“Yes,” she says as she bends down to pluck it, a satisfied smile on her face. “I believe it was.”

She lets out a breath, relief washing through her that this stage of the plan worked. Despite all the posturing and the animosity, they both felt it. The sapling, made from the first spark of their true love, is slightly warm in her hand. Regina makes a face as she stows the sapling in her coat pocket, trying her hardest not to smile.

Idiots.


End file.
